Let Me Love You
by lanajie20
Summary: What I think went down with Rachel before leaving for Lima for the wedding in 4x14.
1. Chapter 1

_**So I am having a bit of writer's block about Wanted. I am hoping to finish it soon but hopefully this will help me keep writing. I am not sure how long it will go but I hope you all enjoy it! This is my take on what maybe went down before Rachel headed to Lima. I hope you enjoy it! Please Review!**_

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She knew she shouldn't let it bother her. In fact it was actually much better this way but she just couldn't get his comment out of her head. _I am not going to that Podunk town to hang out with all your friends who you don't even speak to. Rach come on. You belong here in New York not going back to Lima to relive your past. Besides you aren't really closing that door if you go running back to it. _Did he really think that she couldn't go back without running right into her past?

Yes, Finn would be there but that didn't mean that she was automatically going to run back into his open arms. They definitely wouldn't be opened to her at this point because she was positive he had seen the change in her relationship status. She hardly ever got on Facebook anymore because it seemed like she was always being reminded of how drastically she had changed. Kurt had instigated the make-over but after Finn had walked out of her life, black seemed like the most appropriate color to wear because it was how she was feeling. Brody didn't fill the hole in her heart. In fact he added to the longing she felt for Finn because he was definitely not her Finn.

Sometimes when she was alone in the loft apartment, she would wash all the make-up off and dig deep into her top drawer where she kept all her hidden treasures from Brody. She would pull out the gold star necklace he had given her for Valentines day and the necklace with his name on it. She would carefully place them around her neck before staring at her reflection in the mirror. The last item she would pull out was the ring he had given her. He had been in a bad place but they had really been in love. She sometimes wondered if he still thought about her and longed to be with her like she longed to be with him. He was pretty faithful to keep the no contact rule.

She had never gone all the way with Brody. He tried on quite a few occasions, but she kept telling him she just wasn't ready to take that next step in their relationship. After a few days of living with Santana, Brody decided he couldn't handle living there so he had gone back to the dorms, promising to visit as long as Santana wasn't around. She surprisingly wasn't hurt. She wasn't quite sure the emotion she felt, relief almost that she didn't have to continue to pretend. She didn't know why she was still dating Brody to be honest. He was so cocky and sure of himself. At first she had been completely flattered by his bluntness about how she looked but now she was just beginning to feel objectified. Sure, he thought she was sexy and hot but what about beautiful? He never complimented her when he saw her without her make-up on. Finn had thought she was the most beautiful girl in the world when she didn't have make-up on.

_Stop comparing Brody to Finn, _she thought to herself. _He is never going to compare, no one will ever compare to him. _Rachel sighed as she continued to pack her suitcase for the trip. If she started making comparisons now, she would never be able to stop. It wasn't Brody's fault she had found her true love when she was just a sophomore in high school. It wasn't his fault that Finn had treated her like his queen. He had been there to hold her during the worst time in her life and had even been willing to set her free so he wouldn't get in the way of her dreams. That was true love as much as it hurt her. Brody hadn't even comforted her when she lost the diva off against Kurt, if Finn had been there he would have congratulated Kurt but then been at her side holding her while she wallowed in her sorrow of losing. "Stop it Rachel! Why exactly do you keep comparing the two of them! A week ago there wasn't even a thought of Finn."

"Are you sure about that?" Rachel jumped at the sound of another voice in her room. Kurt was leaning against the wall with his arms folded. She hadn't heard him come in the room or even in the loft for that matter.

"How long have you been here!" She was breathing hard and could feel her heart beating super hard.

"I've been here long enough to know that something happened either between you and Brody or you and Finn. My guess is you and Brody since I just got off the phone with Finn to finalize our flight plans and he said nothing about having talked to you. So, Rachel, do you want to talk about what is going on before Santana gets home or do you want her to tell you her opinion again?"

Rachel sighed and motioned for the empty chair in her room. Kurt crossed the room and sat down. He leaned back and made himself comfortable, knowing that this could potentially take a while. She hesitated and took a deep breath.

"Brody and I got in a fight about me going to Limas. It shouldn't be a big deal but he told me not to go because he said that I would just be running right back to my past and I was far too good for that. I don't know why that upset me so bad. Then he started in on how my past was following me to New York in making a reference to Santana and I cracked. I started yelling at him and told him if he couldn't accept my past, they he could never accept me. He just laughed and walked away, he said he had class or something. Kurt, do you think I really am going to run right back to my past? I mean I haven't seen Finn since the whole no contact rule and I broke that one to talk to him to tell him all about my big win. It just didn't feel real without him knowing about it. I actually almost called him to tell him about the loss the other night but then I realized that it was probably your place to tell him since it was your big win.

"I don't know what is wrong with me. I have hardly thought about Finn the past few weeks and now he is all I can think about. Every part of New York reminds me that he isn't here to share it with me. I don't know if it is because of how Brody has been acting or the fact that Santana is now here to tell me all about how dumb I am being."

Kurt cleared his throat, thinking of the best way to phrase what he was about to tell his best friend. "Rach, umm, you have actually been comparing Finn and Brody for a very long time. Any time I would mention something Brody would do, you would automatically yell at me and tell me that he wasn't Finn. I so badly wanted to yell back that yes I knew he wasn't my brother because my brother would never walk around with absolutely no clothes on. My brother would not do that to prove to you that your decision was a smart one. My brother would have supported you, but only because he knew you were being so stubborn. Did you know that instead of calling Santana and Quinn, I almost called Finn to come talk some sense into you? But then I rethought that decision when he told me about the huge fundraiser they were doing at McKinley to go to Regionals. I didn't want to take him away from that because I knew he would leave immediately if I told him what you were about to do. So I called Santana instead and made her promise me she wouldn't tell Finn what you were doing.

"You may think that you don't ever think about him, but there have been many nights when you are crying in your sleep. You've said his name quite a few times while you are sleeping. The happiness that I saw all last year is gone. Your eyes are empty but whenever you hear his ringtone play on my phone, that light comes back almost immediately and then leaves once you realize he isn't calling you. Rachel, you are still madly in love with him. I am telling you this because I don't want you to be shocked when you see him and all those feelings come flooding back in. He knows about Brody moving in here, but he doesn't know that he left by his own choice once Santana came. He was very heart broken, trust me. He still loves you but he is still trying to find himself because he still feels like a loser. Running Glee makes him so happy but he is still lost. I think part of that is because the only constant thing in his life is now living with another man who she really doesn't love."

Rachel stared at Kurt almost in disbelief. Since coming to New York, Kurt had always been blunt but she didn't remember him being this blunt. She felt her mouth come open but then closed it immediately. What he said was true, she couldn't argue with him. Rather than saying anything, she just broke down. She knew that she needed to cry because she had hardly cried over everything. Instead she had put all the pain aside and pushed through. She was positive that was why she was acting so much like a diva the past few weeks. She sat with her head buried in her hands, crying out the months of pain she had been holding inside her.


	2. Chapter 2

_**In celebration that I have no homework I decided to finish this chapter for you all! I know that the events aren't completely how they happened in the episodes but I think it fit with how I want this story to go. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated! :)**_

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Finn was sitting in Mr. Schue's office trying to put together a set list for Regionals. He wanted more than ever to call Rachel and get her input but he knew that it would make things harder. He was the one who had instigated the no contact rule and there was no way he was breaking it with only a week left until he would be forced to see her. Kurt had called earlier and confirmed that Rachel was indeed coming to Lima, however, Kurt had only mentioned him, Santana, and Rachel which meant that Brody wasn't coming with her. At the mere thought of Brody, Finn felt his heart break. Brody was the jerk who had stolen his girlfriend and was now getting to spend every moment with her while he was stuck in Lima putting together set lists. How on earth was he supposed to compete with that? A knock at the door brought him out of his thoughts. Jake was standing in the doorway. He seemed extremely uncomfortable which usually had something to do with Marley. Finn saw a lot of similarities between Puck and Jake, especially when it came to a girl. Marley was to Jake as Quinn was to Puck. At one point, they really had loved each other.

"Finn, can I talk to you for a minute?"

"Yeah come on in Jake, I wasn't really getting much done at the moment anyways. What seems to be the problem?"

Jake sat down in the chair across from Finn's. "Well, I want to tell Marley how I feel and one of the best ways to do that is to sing about it. I just feel like she will listen to me more if I am singing to her. It makes me seem more"

"Vulnerable," Finn finished for him. "Girls love it when you pour your heart out to them in song because they see a side of you that doesn't exist through conversation. I actually don't really have anything planned for today so if you want you can do it today. What song did you have in mind?"

"Well, Ryder said to pick a song that really expresses how I feel. I was hoping you could help me out with this actually. Marley is still struggling with her disorder but she is starting to get over it. I think her being with me and Kitty not being able to do anything about it has helped but I want her to know that I l- that I l-. You know that I-"

"That you love her?"

"Yeah, maybe a song that expresses that even though she doesn't completely love herself, someone does."

"I think I have the perfect song. Let me play it for you."

Finn opened the music on his phone and found the song he was looking for. "I am sure you have heard this song. I think it is perfect but we would maybe bring some strings in and slow the pace down a lot more than it is when Ne-Yo sings it." Finn played the song for Jake. When it was finished, Jake was smiling one of those love-sick smiles that Finn knew all too well.

'That is perfect, Finn! Strings would be a great addition! You are really good at hearing a song and mixing it or changing it to fit perfectly. Well I'll see you in Glee Club. I don't want to be late for Spanish. Thanks again."

Jake left leaving Finn to sit in the office reflecting on what had just happened. He was good at it because he had spent so many hours the past three years trying to find the exact song to tell Rachel just how much he loved her. It always had to be perfect because nothing but the best was good enough for his Rachel. His Rachel, not Brody's Rachel.

Finn sighed and threw his pen across the desk. He needed to hear her voice before he was forced to see her. He thought maybe he would send her a message on Facebook asking for her help with the set list. Maybe that would make it less awkward. He pulled out his phone and logged on. He typed in Rachel's name and that was when he saw it. She had changed her relationship status to say "Shacked-up" which meant, to his dismay that she was living with Brody. Kurt hadn't mentioned it but when Finn asked about her, but he could tell his brother was annoyed for some reason. He set his phone down and leaned back in his chair closing his eyes. He tried to push back the sick feeling he had in the pit of his stomach but nothing could get rid of the feeling. Rachel had officially moved on. She had probably officially given herself to another man and yet here he sat at the high school where he'd met his true love teaching the class that had brought them together because he wasn't brave enough to take a chance and follow his dream while she fulfilled hers. He needed to talk to someone about this problem. The best option seemed to be too close to the source of his problem. He found himself a few moments later sitting in Emma's office, trying to make sense of what was really happening to him. The talk didn't help much, in fact it almost made him feel worst. He decided he needed to be brave and talk to Kurt about it.

Kurt answered after the third ring. "I assume you saw it then?"

Finn was surprised at this response. "Umm, if you are referring to Facebook and the fact that my ex-fiancée is moved in with that guy the yeah, I saw it. I can't believe you didn't give me any warning about it."

"Actually I found out about it 30 minutes before you called. She didn't tell me that she was changing it and she swears the only reason she changed it was because Brody did it first. I don't really know what to do. Brody drives me crazy but any time I confront Rachel about it she just ignores me or tells me that it is just his personality. Did I tell you about what happened last week? She got offered the leading role in a student video."

"That's amazing!"

"No, not really. The video had a naked scene in which Rachel would have to completely expose herself to the camera. I tried to talk her out of it because I thought it was completely stupid but that idiot paraded around the loft butt-naked. When I told him I didn't find that appropriate he said he was just doing it so that Rachel could see someone who was comfortable with the way he looked when he was naked so she would have the confidence she needed to play the role."

"He seriously did that? Doesn't he know that even though Rach has a killer body she still isn't completely comfortable with how she looks? That is how she has always been. And anyways she shouldn't have done that role! What if it ruins her career!"

"Don't worry Finn. I called Santana and Quinn and had the two of them come smooth things over with her. I figured Santana would get straight to the point and if Quinn was telling her not to she would probably listen to her. I mean she listened to Quinn when she told her she should get a nose job so it only seemed fitting." "You know the only reason she listened to Quinn then was because she thought I liked noses that were like that. I am really glad she didn't do it. Why didn't you tell me about this before? I could have helped or something. Well maybe not because at that time I was dealing with my own naked drama here at Glee Club. Did you hear about our fundraiser of the Men of McKinley? I saved a copy for you if you guys want it." Finn laughed as he heard Kurt's breath catch.

"Yes I heard about it and no I don't want a calendar. I see enough naked men at my apartment I don't need them hanging on my wall now! Anyways what was your drama. Blaine told me it all went well."

"Yeah it was going well but then Artie came to me and said he didn't feel comfortable doing the shoot topless."

"So how did you help him decide to do it?"

"I told him I understood how he felt and I told him it was really brave of him to come to me. I told him that no one should do something they don't feel comfortable with or put them in situations that aren't good for them. He did the shoot but him and Sam kept their shirts on."

"Sam kept his shirt on?! The stripper man left his shirt on with that body?! Why?"

"I don't know but he did. Anyways so Brody is living with you huh. That is umm well cool I guess."

"Don't lie Finn. Hang on. Yes Rachel I am talking to Finn. Thank-you for listening in on my conversation. Finn, how are you?"

"Kurt don't you dare tell her why I called. Tell her I am fine and I was just calling to ask you about song ideas for the set list for Regionals."

"Rach, he is fine. We are discussing set-lists for the competition. Okay? Sorry about that Finn. Anyways I know you are lying to me. It sucks but I manage to stay in my room. NYADA keeps me extremely busy so I spend a lot of time there. Adam doesn't like Brody either. The only person who does is himself and sometimes Rachel. I don't understand the attraction to him."

Finn had to bite his lip to ask whether it was because Brody was so confident. "Yeah well not much I can do here in Lima. You guys are coming for the wedding right? Mom and Burt are finalizing your flight plans I think so it should be good. Anyways I better go finish this set-list. Thanks Kurt!"

"Alright. Let me know if you really need some help. And Finn, don't worry too much about it. You should have seen the look on her face when I mentioned your name. She is not as over you as she pretends to be. Give her time and eventually this thing with Brody will die. I think it is already starting to. Take care and we'll see you next week!"

Finn hung up with Kurt. He felt better but he still wanted to cry. Here she was moving towards her dreams and he felt like he was still stuck in the exact same place.


	3. Chapter 3

_**I finally have time to write! I am sorry for the wait I have just been so busy lately with school and work! I hope you all enjoy! I am hoping to have the next chapter up before the end of the week! Thank you all for reading! Please review!**_

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Kurt and Rachel had just arrived at JFK Airport. Rachel knew she shouldn't be so nervous about going back to Lima but there had been some heated words exchanged by her and Finn the last time she had been there. She knew it would make life much easier if she just called him, but she didn't know how she could talk to him after she had changed her relationship status. She was slightly hurt by the fact that he had called Kurt to help him with the songs. She couldn't blame him but she missed the time when he had called her for help with songs.

"Rachel, that is the last call for our flight. Are you ready?" Kurt was standing a few feet in front of Rachel. She turned towards him with a pained look on her face. "When we get on the plane, you are going to text him so that you don't look like that. For once since we got to New York you are going to follow what your heart is really telling you rather than what your emotion tells you. You are going to text Finn, turn your phone off and not worry about anything until you see him in Lima. Got it."

Rachel tried her hardest to look annoyed that her best friend knew her so well. She took his arm and followed him down the terminal to their seats. Rachel took the window seat while Kurt put the carry ons above their heads. As he sat down he watched her quickly get out her phone to send the text she had been contemplating all day. She typed and retyped until she felt she had it perfect. Just to be sure she showed Kurt, asking what he thought.

_Hi Finn, I just wanted to tell you I am excited to see you this afternoon once we finally get to Lima. I don't know if this is too forward of me but I was wondering if you wanted to maybe go out for dinner tonight so we can catch up. I want to hear all about your Glee club adventures. How about Breadsticks tonight at 7:30? I can't wait to see you. _

Kurt read the text over and over smiling at whatever he was reading. "Rachel you sound ridiculous! This text sounds so forced. Try again."

Rachel took the phone back and pulled a new message up. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath before beginning the message again. She was not showing this one to Kurt for him to just make fun of. She finished the message just as the attendant was asking everyone to turn their phones off for take off. She turned her phone off and watched out the window as the plane began to move.

"I know you are mad Rach but I think you two need to start being honest with each other. That's the whole reason you two are apart right now anyways. You need to be honest with him about how you feel. You know the reason he called the other day was not because he really needed me to help him with set lists. He called because he went to send you a message on Facebook about helping him out with set lists when he saw the change. He went and talked to Emma and she was absolutely no help so he called me possibly more heartbroken than when he made the no contact rule. He was so hurt and didn't understand how you could have moved on and he still can't seem to forget about you."

Rachel felt the tears coming. She had been so angry with how Finn had hurt her by leaving that she didn't even realize how much she was hurting him whenever he heard about her and Brody. She still loved Finn but he had told her to enjoy New York and that was what she was trying to do. "I sometimes forget that we are so connected that he feels pain based on every decision I make. I think part of me felt like getting in a relationship with Brody was the only way to fix the whole Finn had placed in me when he went back to Lima, taking my heart with him. I don't feel for Brody what I feel for Finn. I can't, not with my heart in Lima. I should never have done this with Brody. I should have just been content to live in New York single rather than worrying about having a boyfriend. I should have known it wouldn't last long with Brody when I hid from him after winning the showcase so I could call Finn."

"Exactly, you did this with Brody and you have just been going through the motions of a relationship. It is pretty much like when you were dating Jesse or Puck. There was no emotion in the relationships. But with Finn, it is all emotion. When he broke up with Quinn the last time, he told me that he did it because he does not feel a connection to her like he feels to you. From the moment we sang _Don't Stop Believin'_ I knew we were in serious trouble because we could all feel the connection. As the two of you sang, we knew that you would end up together. We had no idea that it would last for as long as it did or cause so much drama in the club, but we knew it was inevitable that you two would date. "The two of you need to start understanding that your decisions don't just affect one person anymore. They affect both of you."

Kurt opened up his book and began reading. Rachel knew there was no point in trying to argue with him because he was making it very clear that this conversation was over now. She stared out the window, watching the clouds fly by until she fell into a fitful rest where she had dreams of Finn coming to New York to talk to Brody. They would get in a very heated argument that always led to a fight. She was almost relieved when Kurt shook her awake announcing that they were about to land.

She watched the plane touch down and took out her phone. She turned it on to text her dads to tell them she had landed so they would know to meet them close to the terminal. There were three messages when she turned her phone back on. One from Brody telling her he was sorry he had been so rude about going to Lima and that he missed her more than she knew and one from her dads saying that they would not be picking her up from the airport because something had come up. The last was from Finn. It was short. _We need to talk._ She didn't know if that was a good thing or not but she felt something come alive inside her as she read the text again. _Yes, we do _was all she replied back hoping that they would indeed get to talk about everything that had happened over the past few months.

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_**We'll be getting some Finchel in the next chapter I promise!**_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Thank you for the reviews and favorites and follows! I'm glad you all like it! Here is the next chapter with some Finchel happening. More to come!**_

Finn was just pulling into his driveway when his phone alerted him that he had a text message. He had to do a double take when he saw who the message was from. He opened the message, hoping that it wasn't just Kurt using Rachel's phone.

_Finn, I don't know why it has taken me so long to finally get enough courage to text you but I feel like I am going crazy knowing I will see you but not knowing if you want to see me. I completely understand that you probably don't want to see me since you found out about Brody and I owe you an explanation. I want to see you and I think you deserve to hear this face-to-face but if you think it will be easier; I will talk to you over text. I have to turn my phone off now since the plane is taking off but I want to know what you want to do. Talk or text? I will hopefully talk to you soon. I truly am sorry Finn._

He ran his hand through his hair. He wanted to see her more than anything but he didn't want to ruin the trip for her by forcing this type of conversation to happen once she got to Lima. He knew he would have a while to think about it before he had to answer her but he wanted more than anything to see her beautiful face and hear her side of what was happening. He texted her back instantly _We need to talk_ hoping that she understood that meant he wanted to see her face while they talked.

When he went into the house, he heard his mom talking on the phone. He looked through the mail and was opening up a letter from one of the colleges he had applied for when she came into the room. "Oh, I was hoping you were Burt. The Berry's called and they aren't going to be able to pick Rachel and Kurt up so we need to go pick them up from the airport. I'll just call him and see if he can run up there and get them before he comes home from the shop. It is out of the way but I don't know how else to get them."

"Burt had a back-up of cars. I was actually just coming home to change and then going to run to the shop. I will just talk to him when I get there." He stuffed the envelope in his bag and ran up the stairs. He changed his clothes but put the ones he had just taken off in a duffle bag so he would have them in case he ended up heading to the airport.

A few hours later he found himself standing in front of a screen looking at the list of flights that had landed. He found their flight easily and saw that it had just landed. He found an empty seat and sat down. He could hardly believe that he was here to pick them up. He knew they needed to talk but he hadn't imagined it happening almost as soon as she got back to Lima. He waited for what seemed like forever until he heard her laugh. He stood quickly; looking in the direction he had heard the laugh. He saw her and Kurt with their arms locked together laughing about something one of them had said. He checked his phone and saw that she had texted him back. He read it and took a deep breath. He took a moment to take her in. She was wearing ankle boots that looked like she was walking on toothpicks because the heel was so thin. She was wearing a deep blue skin-tight dress that accented her figure very nicely. Her hair was down in soft curls and her make-up was darker than he was accustom to. He missed her natural look but he couldn't deny that the girl he saw in front of him was attractive. He picked up his phone and called Kurt, never taking his eyes from the direction the two were walking.

"Hey! Where are you guys at?" Kurt asked cheerfully looking around in front of him.

"Turn around. Pretty sure I tower over everyone you should be able to see me." Finn watched as Kurt slowly turned around, pulling Rachel with him. He returned his phone to his pocket and watched silently as Kurt began walking faster, pulling a more reluctant Rachel behind him. He embraced his brother but never removed his eyes from Rachel. She took his appearance in as well, studying his face that now had facial hair beginning to grow. Kurt pulled away, breaking the intense study that was going on behind his back.

"Did you come alone or is dad here too?"

"Umm Burt is in the car. He didn't want to pay for parking so he just waiting for us in the front. I hope it is okay that I was here to greet you rather than your dad. I tried to convince him that he should come in and I could wait in the car but he was insistent that he stayed. Do you have a lot of luggage?"

"We just each have one bag so it shouldn't take us long to get it! Let's go get them so we can go home! I'm really excited to see everyone!"

Finn followed Kurt and Rachel as they walked to the luggage area. Kurt first pulled off Rachel's suitcase then his own. Before Rachel could grab the handle, Finn had taken it and Kurt's and began rolling them towards the door. She took this moment to watch him walk away. He had gotten much thinner since the last time she had seen him. His clothes clung to his frame. How she wished Santana could see just how good he looked now. There was no way she could call him Lumps the Clown now. His clothing looked like things she had seen some of the boys at NYADA wearing which surprised her almost. He looked more mature especially with the facial hair he was growing. She felt that familiar feeling deep within her stomach begin. It had been a while since she felt it but she only felt it when Finn was around. _Strike 10 against Brody,_ she thought. _He would never take my luggage or come all this way to pick me up from the airport or... _She was pulled away from her thoughts by the sound of a car pulling up to the curb.

"There they are, our wonderful New Yorkers have decided it would be okay to come home for once!" Burt said as he rolled the window down. "How are the two of you? Our house sure hasn't been the same."

"I must say it is quite weird to be back in Ohio. How are you doing Burt?" Rachel smiled at the man who had become another father to her.

"I'm doing well. The doctors say I am doing alright. Now why don't we get in the car and do some catching up rather than just sitting in front of the airport?"

Finn had come up behind her and held open the door while she got in. Kurt was seated next to her. Burt got out and asked Finn to drive since he was feeling a bit tired. The ride back to Lima was full of happy chatter. Rachel and Kurt told about some of the crazy people who attended NYADA and Burt filled in stories about congress. Once in a while Finn would talk about New Directions and how it was going. When Kurt mentioned the competition he and Rachel had been in, the car went silent.

"Why on earth were the two of you competing? You two are best friends, I thought you learned your lesson after the whole Defying Gravity mess?" Burt asked as he turned to face the two of them.

"Well Brody mentioned the competition and Rachel and I were fighting so we agreed to it. Looking back it was really dumb of us but it actually helped us get through a lot." Kurt was trying hard to defend their decision but he could see the anger building on Finn's face.

"So you sang _Bring Him Home_ which I am assuming Kurt won since I never heard mention of this from Rachel? And because that is Kurt's favorite song." Finn glanced in the mirror checking Rachel's reaction.

"Yes, I won but it doesn't matter. It actually brought us closer together because I couldn't even celebrate with her acting so upset."

"Why didn't Brody take care of that?"

Rachel spoke up before Kurt even had time to come up with a counter-attack, "Because I told him to leave. I didn't want to have him there to comfort me. I told him that when I get really upset I like to be alone."

Finn caught her eyes for a split second before returning them to the road. There was nothing for the two of them to say. Finn knew that was a lie. She did like to be alone at first but she also wanted someone there to hold her while she cried. Rachel knew that Finn was the only person to catch her bluff because he was the only person she had wanted to see after she had choked at her audition. She knew she would have some explaining to do but for right now she just wanted to get home so they could actually talk about all of this. She knew it wasn't going to be pretty, but it needed to happen.

Finn pulled up outside of Burt's shop to pick up his vehicle. As he stepped out of the car, Rachel's door opened as well. She walked to the back and pulled out her suitcase, handing it to Finn. Kurt was getting into the passenger's seat looking extremely confused.

"Don't worry Finn and I just need to talk. He'll be home soon but in the mean time I'll just have him drop me off. Thanks again Burt for coming to pick us up. I really appreciate doing that at such a late notice. Bye Kurt! I'll see you later."

Finn had already put her luggage in the back and was holding the passenger door open for her. She thanked him and slid into the seat. The last time she had been in this car they had been on their way to their wedding which didn't happen. She plugged her phone into his sound system and selected a song that she had just recorded a few weeks earlier for her vocal class.

Finn started the car and heard her voice loud and clear coming through the sound system. He knew this song. He had stood backstage watching her pour her heart into this song that she had written to explain exactly how she felt about him Junior year.

"I recorded this song a few weeks ago for my vocal class because we needed to record a song that showed emotion. No one else besides my teacher has heard this. I wanted you to be the first one to hear it."

Finn pulled out of the parking lot. "Why? Rach, I don't understand. Why do you want me to be the first one to know yet you are living with another man? I guess I just don't get it."

"Finn, we go somewhere to talk. Can we go back to my house?"

"Yes but I need to stop at the high school to check in on the Glee Club. Mr. Schue is back but they are having practice for the wedding. Can this wait just a little while longer?"

Rachel sighed, "Yeah that is fine. I just think we need to get this all out in the open sooner than later."

They pulled into the parking lot of the building that held so many memories. Finn turned the car off and turned to her. "Would you like to come in with me? I know the last two times we were here together weren't very happy but"

"I'd love to come in. I want to see everyone so it will be good. And Finn," she touched his arm trying to get him to look at her. His brown eyes captured hers in stare that she felt all the way through her. "I really am trying to get it right. That is why I really need to talk to you and explain everything to you."

He nodded his head and got out of the car. He walked around and opened her door. He gave her his hand to help her out since her shoes were higher than stilts. She took it graciously. His grip loosened once she had both feet firmly on the ground. She wanted more than anything to hold on tight but she knew she should't force it. He was hurt more than she herself completely understood. She let go and held on to her clutch. How she missed the feeling of his strong hands holding her up.


	5. Chapter 5

**_This story is just flying by! I must explain, it is my spring break so I am trying to finish it up so I don't have to keep you waiting for forever! They finally have the talk! I hope you enjoy!_**

* * *

Everyone was so excited to see Rachel. She felt so comfortable with them all it was as though she had never left. Everyone had said their good-byes and gone their separate ways for the evening. She looked around the choir room and took it in. So much had happened in this room, much of it defining who she was.

"This choir room looks much better with you standing in it you know." Rachel was startled from her thoughts by Finn. She turned quickly to see him leaning up against the doorway of Mr. Schue's office. "I always knew something was missing but I just couldn't ever put my finger on it. Now I figured it out. It has been missing its gold star."

Rachel smiled faintly and continued admiring the trophy shelf. "You know, we couldn't have won any of this without you. You brought it all together Finn. Sometimes when I'm in New York I imagine this room and all the memories associated with it. Not much has changed besides the people who now dance around it."

Finn nodded and walked towards the piano. He began hitting keys absentmindedly. "You know that is exactly why I came back to Lima after I left New York. As soon as I got back here I came straight to this room and tried to figure out what I was going to do next. Mr. Schue was leaving for Washington D.C. and it seemed like the best option for me because it was something I was familiar with. I knew I couldn't mess it up too bad."

Rachel turned to face him. She walked slowly towards him, taking him in. He was staring down at the keys with a sad look on his face. She knew she had hurt him, but he had hurt her as well and they still had not gotten past any of that. "Finn, we still need to talk. Do you want to go somewhere else or should we just get it done here?"

He looked up at her and then back down at the piano. "We might as well do it here. This place seems to be where we deal with our relationship problems. Didn't you call it our Jerusalem or something like that?"

"Y-you remember me saying that?"

Finn turned quickly and looked into her eyes with an expression she had not seen in a long time, "I remember everything about that day. I relive it all the time and kick myself for not trying to keep you from leaving me on the stage that day."

For a moment they just stood there, staring into each other's eyes. Rachel picked up one of the chairs and began walking towards the auditorium. "Come on then. Let's go to our Jerusalem."

She almost dropped her chair when she got into the auditorium and saw what had been set up on the stage. A large blanket was laid out with lots of pillows. A large whicker basket was placed in the middle. The lights of the stage were dimmed with just one of the spotlights on, focusing on the set-up "Finn, did you do this?"

"Umm, no. I had told Sam about it a while ago. I mentioned to him and Blaine that we would be talking tonight and they must have done this." Finn walked to the blanket and saw that there was a note sitting on the side of it. He read it and then handed it over to Rachel. She couldn't help but laugh at their friends.

**We never thought we would ever say this but we sure do miss 'Finchel' so we have set up a fool-proof plan that will hopefully lighten the mood for the talk you two are about to have. The picnic basket should have everything you need. No need to be angry, we know you two love us all! :)**

**Love, Mercedes, Sam, Brittney, Tina, Blaine, Kurt, Santana, Mike, Puck, and Quinn**

**P.S. Kurt took Finn's car so... Enjoy!**

"Well I guess this means we have to talk it all out," Rachel commented as she finished the note and moved to the blanket that was set up much like their first date.

"Yeah, I guess so." Finn had moved towards her but was keeping his distance, trying to judge the situation. Rachel was looking through the contents of the basket. Finn watched as she pulled out a bag with his name, one with her name, a small box, Tupperware which most likely contained some type of food, a jug full of a red liquid, two plates, two cups, and plastic silverware. Rachel tossed Finn his bag and began to open hers. She pulled out what looked like shorts and a shirt with a note. She read the note and shook her head.

"Finn I feel like they think we are going to be here for a very long time because these appear to be my pajamas with a note saying I look like I could change into something more comfortable. I guess I'll go change and be back in a few minutes." She stood, turning to go off the stage when Finn stopped her.

"No, just go backstage and change. I promise I won't look. I'll get the rest of the stuff set out while you change then I'll go back there."

Rachel didn't understand why he was so insistent that she not leave the stage but she agreed and left to change. When she came back everything was set out. He stood and walked past her, just close enough that she could smell his cologne. She was caught off guard at how much she missed that smell. It sent chills down her spine, something she hadn't felt for a while.

Finn returned wearing basketball shorts and a McKinley football shirt. Rachel had placed herself down on the blanket leaning against some of the extra pillows their friends had left them. The two remained silent for a while until Rachel finally broke it.

"I think we need to get this out in the open right now because I know you are wondering. No I did not sleep with Brody even though we were living together. And we weren't living together for long because Santana moving in was too much Lima for him. I don't think he liked constantly being told that he looked like a donkey. Anyways now that we have that out of the way, I think we need to start talking or this will be a very long night."

Finn felt relief at the information he had just been told. He breathed a sigh of relief and decided that it was now his turn to talk. He looked down and began playing with the tassels on the blanket, not sure how his emotions would hold up while he did this. "Rach, I think we need to start from the beginning of when this whole mess happened. I need you to understand something. When I put you on that train, I knew it would be hard for both of us. I cried for two days trying to decide what was the best thing to do for you. I knew you wouldn't take it well but I wanted you to go to New York with no distractions. You had just told me that you would defer to stay here with me. I actually called NYADA and asked what would happen if someone deferred for a year. They said that you would have to go through the whole process again. I couldn't let you do that because I didn't want you to one day regret that decision. I didn't want you to regret me. I didn't want you to wake up one morning and regret the man you were sleeping next to.

"When I finally got the courage to come find you I found you at your apartment with Brody. One look at him and I knew that I would never be good enough to compare to him. When I watched you up on stage that night with him, I wanted so badly to cry. He walked right into your life and seemed to be replacing me. As I lay in bed with you that night, I knew I needed to figure out what exactly I was going to do with my life. When I left that morning, I knew it would be hard for both of us but I needed you to understand that I wasn't the man you needed me to be yet and I had no idea if I could ever become that man.

"I came back to Lima completely broken not because I felt like a failure because of everything that had happened to me, but because I had failed you. Mr. Schue took me under his wing and let me direct the musical. I chose _Grease_ because of you. Every time I saw Marley singing with Ryder, I thought of that day you put on that crazy cat woman suit trying to impress me. That play had every reminder of you in it and I wanted so badly to do it justice so that you would be proud of it. I came to find you after to ask how you liked the show when I instead found you crying. I couldn't handle the fact that you were crying over another guy, a guy who had everything I wanted. That is why I put the no contact rule into place because I felt like I had lost you already.

"The night you called to tell me about the win was the same night that I had just cleaned out the choir room after losing Sectionals. Just hearing your voice made me feel like I could conquer anything and knowing that you wanted to tell me about your win meant the world to me. I hated myself that I couldn't be there to congratulate you and that he could. But I knew I needed to figure things out for myself first. I started applying for colleges and trying to figure out what to do. I applied to schools here and in New York because that is where my home is. But then I found out you were living with him and I suddenly wished I could take my applications back. I called Kurt to find out what was going on and he told me what had happened. I cried for a while and then decided that I needed to begin the healing process because it appeared you had already mastered it. But then I got a text from you today telling me you wanted to see me and then you play that song for me yet you are still dating another man. Do you understand why I am so confused? I still love you more than anything in this world. I don't think I can ever love someone as much as I love you and yet it seems like you have moved on and forgotten all about the tether we share and the love that is ours."

For the first time since he began talking he looked up. Her eyes were full of tears. Judging by the lines running down her face, he could tell that she had been crying. Without much thought, he leaned over and began to wipe the tears from her eyes. She began to cry even more and leaned her cheek into his palm. "Finn, I promise I will tell you everything but first I need to make a very important phone call, one I should have made a very long time ago. She grabbed her phone and ran off the stage. Finn sat where she had left him completely confused, his hands still wet from her tears.

* * *

_**I loved the flower scene in the "I Do" episode but there is so much more I wanted them to say to each other so ta-da. Also the Femma kiss never happened. (Thought it was a waste of story until later episodes) Just have to leave you in suspense! Rachel's tell all will be happening soon!**_


	6. Chapter 6

"About time I heard from my girlfriend! I've missed you and your sexy little…"

"Brody, I didn't call to have a friendly chat with you. I called because there is something very important that I need to tell you and I actually need you to not talk while I say it. Our relationship has been very fast moving I guess you could say. I don't know if you noticed it but it would always escalate whenever something would happen with Finn." Rachel was now standing in the choir room looking at the picture that was taken soon after they won their national title. "What I am trying to say is I shouldn't have done this with you. I shouldn't have used you to get over the heartache I felt when Finn left. If I am being completely honest with you, I have never felt anything for you. I did feel sexy and wanted but then I just started to feel objectified, like the only reason you wanted to be with me was for my voice and my body. I guess you could say it is a lot like the ending of _Sweet Home Alabama_ when she decides not to get married. 'The truth is I gave my heart away a long time ago, and I never really got it back.' I'm sorry Brody, but my heart came home to Lima long before I did. I can't do this with you anymore. It isn't fair to you or to myself. Finn sent me to New York, not so I could date the first guy who said I was attractive, but so I could make myself a star without someone else. I would be wasting that sacrifice if I kept this up with you. Don't try to call or text me, there is absolutely no changing my mind."

"Rachel, are you with Finn? I knew going back to Lima would ruin you."

"No Brody, coming back to Lima may have actually saved me. Good-bye."

Rachel hung up the phone and leaned against the wall. She felt relief in more ways than she could imagine. She knew that this what was she should have done long before now, but it had taken Finn explaining everything for her to finally understand.

Her conversation with Brody had been a lot faster than she thought it would be so she took the extra time to look around the room. This was the room that had made it all happen for her. She had been an outsider until she had come into this room. She soon found herself in the office Finn and Mr. Schue shared. Finn hadn't made a lot of changes to it besides adding some pictures of the new kids. There was a picture of the original Glee Club and one of the seniors who graduated. On his desk were piles of music with some markings on them. She didn't pay much attention to the markings but they seemed legit to her. At the front of the desk was a digital picture frame. She sat in his seat and watched countless pictures of the two of them flash by. Quite a few of the pictures were of just her and others were of the two of them performing. There was one picture that lingered on the screen longer than the others. It was a picture of the superman of all kisses, the one that had cost them Nationals but brought them together. Before the picture changed, a caption came on the screen. _You're better than that. You might not know it but I do. _She had told him that once while she was helping him change a tire in the shop during their senior year. That phrase was what was helping him get through this. Her believing in him was making the difference.

She could not get out of the choir room and onto the stage fast enough to explain everything to Finn. She knew she would cry, but that was what this night was about. It was about getting through all the pain the two of them had been holding inside.

She returned to the stage to find Finn lying on his back running his fingers along the edge of an envelope. When he heard her run across the stage, he sat up, looking towards her. "Okay I am so sorry but I really had to make that call. Alright, now I owe you an explanation. Where would you like me to begin?"

"I already know how you felt about me putting you on the train and leaving that night so anywhere after that."

"How about I start at the play. I was so proud of everything you did. The play was fantastic. I couldn't believe how well they did. But during the last song when I was watching Marley and Ryder sing, I suddenly saw you and I singing. I could hear your voice in perfect harmony with mine and feel you as though we were actually dancing which is crazy because I was sitting in the audience and you were standing backstage. I couldn't handle the flood of memories that came flooding back instantly. I had to get out of there, away from the music and away from the connection. I sat in the bathroom and cried for a while. I called Brody, hoping that hearing his voice would convince me everything was okay. Hearing your voice always did that. But instead of hearing his voice, I heard Ms. July, my awful dance teacher. She had convinced me to leave New York, which didn't take much convincing because I knew I would see you. While I was gone, she had asked Brody to help her with a dance, which led to something more. I was hurt, but not that he would do that. I was more hurt by the awful things she said about me in return. I left the bathroom to find Kurt when you found me instead. You were right, I was crying about a guy. But that guy was you. I was crying because I thought it would be so much easier to see you than it actually was. I should have told you then but then you said you didn't want to talk to me anymore and I just couldn't handle it. I had to get away from there.

"I forgave Brody. It was actually really easy to forgive him. A lot easier than finding out about you and Santana. We moved on. The day of the Winter Showcase, we started dating. It is kind of funny that after I found out I won, I left Brody with Kurt to go to the bathroom where I actually ran through NYADA trying to find a place where I could talk to you. I ended up on a balcony somewhere that overlooked the city. As soon as I heard your voice, I felt alive. It was almost like I was finally me again. Hearing the softness in your voice made it seem real, that I truly was fulfilling my dream, the dream you had helped me achieve. I was on cloud 9 when I finally met up with them again. Brody thought it was because I had just won, but I think Kurt knew why.

"A few weeks later, Brody moved in. He was complaining about having to ride the subway home late one night and so I told him he could stay. Well he took that as move in and I didn't really know how to tell him that wasn't what I meant. I didn't have time to worry about it though because I got asked to star in a student-produced film. This girl was insane! Do you remember when Cooper came and was helping us with all that acting stuff. Well she was just as bad. I accepted the role and then she told me that there would be a topless scene. I didn't know what to do. Brody told me it would be good for me and help me branch out to being an actress. He said that the way to the top is by showing your body off and I believed him. Luckily Kurt called Santana and Quinn and they helped me through it. I would have regretted that decision in the long run for sure.

"I have to say I was becoming quite the little diva and without you there to keep me grounded, I was taking off way faster than I should have. I was just mean to Kurt. He had come to New York with me and I was leaving him out because of Brody. We were fighting one day when Brody told us the only way to settle our problems was a diva-off. We sang, Kurt won, and I realized what a jerk I had been. I sat in my room for a long time thinking about it all. Brody never once asked if I was okay or even offered to hold me. I didn't want him to but he never even tried. I wanted to call you, but I figured it was Kurt's place to tell you about it because it was his win. Pretty sad when the winner has to comfort the loser. Santana moved in a few days later and about three days after that Brody left. He said that my past was following me and when I was ready for the future to come find him. He said some awful things about me coming back for the wedding. After I got back to the loft that afternoon I washed off the make-up and sat on the floor with the necklaces and ring you gave me. I tried to convince myself that he was right, that I needed to stay in New York, but in my heart I knew that I needed to come back. We needed to have this conversation and find out what was going on. I needed you, Finn.

"I actually just went to call him and broke up with him." Finn's head snapped towards her at the mention of this. "I told him that I had been lying to myself the whole time. I can't pretend anymore. I'm tired of it. I'm tired of being someone I'm not. I just want to be Rachel Berry." Her last sentence was barely a whisper. She brought her knees up and began crying, resting her head on her knees. Finn honestly didn't know what to do. He was still in shock that things with her and Brody were over. He moved over closer to her and pulled her chin towards him. He looked at her with an expression she had seen over and over. It was soft and gentle. She had a flashback to when they had been in a similar situation. They had been standing on a street corner in New York after their work date. He was looking at her the same way.

When he finally spoke, his words were simple yet so powerful. "Let me love you."

Despite the tears that were streaming down her cheeks, Rachel smiled the biggest smile ever.

"I promise I won't leave you again."

"But Finn, your work is here and mine is in New York. You already said you don't feel like you fit in there."

"I said that because I thought I couldn't be your man with Brody in the picture. Now that he is out of the picture, it will all work out. I actually just got a letter back from City University of New York. Would you like to open it with me and see if this is about to change my future or more correctly our future?"

She sat up and he pulled her close. It felt so natural to be this close to him. He began to break the seal of the envelope. They both held their breath as they read what the contents of the letters said.

"I got in. I got in!"

Rachel beamed at Finn, "It says that you will be able to start in the summer or fall, whichever you choose. Finn, I'm so proud of you!"

"Thank-you! And thank-you for being my inspiration, my driving force. I couldn't have done it without you."

"But I didn't do anything? I was actually making it harder for you by dating a jerk."  
"Exactly. I wanted to come to New York unannounced and beat the crap out of him so I could sweep my princess off her feet and we could live happily ever after in a loft apartment with my step-brother who isn't so evil and a girl who claims to have an evil split personality." Finn looked puzzled when Rachel started laughing. "Too much?"

"No, no it is just funny because on our flight this morning, I kept having dreams about that! About you coming to New York and beating Brody up. Pretty sure you would win especially with how good you look right now!" Rachel blushed at how forward she was being with Finn. It just came natural. With Brody, many times she had to force it in order to keep up the act. Now it just flowed from her mouth.

"Well I've been dieting and working out a lot. Blaine invited me to be the advisor over the Fight Club so I've been working out with them. Makes a difference to be eating right too." He reached into the basket and started taking out the food. "I don't know about you but I am starving! No sense in letting good food go to waste now is there?" Their friends had packed them fruit, vegetables, sandwiches, and different types of salad. Finn dished a plate for Rachel while she began pouring the drinks into the cups. They weren't the same little airplane cups that they had had on their first date but they were close enough. While they ate, the two of them talked about what funny things had recently happened in Glee Club and New York. They filled the auditorium with laughter for about an hour. There was so much that had happened in their lives that they needed to catch up on.

_**I felt like it was only fair to post the next chapter about Rachel's side of the conversation. And I hope it is all you have been waiting for! :)**_


	7. Chapter 7

**_Thank-you all to everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited this story! I really appreciate it! I hope you like this chapter and that it isn't too cheesy! _**

Once they had had their fill, Finn stretched out on the blanket. Rachel was content to just watch him. She loved how comfortable they could be around each other despite the separation. "Finn, what time is it?"

Finn pulled his phone out to check, "8:30. Why?"

"It is dark outside right?"  
"Umm, yeah it is. Why? Is something wrong?"

Rachel jumped to her feet, "Come on! We need to go see something!" She grabbed her heels and jumped off the stage, running down the aisle towards the door. Finn barely had time to grab his shoes and their jackets. He found her standing out in the parking lot staring up at the sky, searching for something. Finn put her jacket around her and looked up in the same direction she was looking. She grabbed her phone out of her pocket and started punching something into the star gazing app. She turned around a few times until she stopped and smiled. "Look Finn! There it is!" He tried to follow her finger as best he could but he still couldn't see exactly what she was looking at.

"I can't see it Rach. Let me see your phone." He took her phone and saw that she was looking for a particular star, his star. "Why did we have to come out in the cold to see your star?"

She looked at him with a serious expression, "Because when I am in New York all the other lights choke out the stars. I have to get really far out of town to see my star. But here, I can see it shining brightly."

"You look for it?"  
"Yes. When I first got to New York, I looked for it every night. Kurt suggested that I get this app because then even if I couldn't see it outside, I could still find it. I use this app every night. I stand out on our fire escape and locate where the star would be and just stare into the sky. Brody thought I was crazy but Kurt convinced him that as a star, I needed to get inspiration from the actual ones. Since you wouldn't come to New York with me yourself, I had to rely on you from the sky."

Finn felt his heart break and swell at the same time. He shouldn't have left her in New York by herself, but at least he could help her in someway through the star he had given his star. He felt her shutter next to him. "Come on, babe, it is way too cold for you to be out here in that outfit. He wrapped his jacket around her and took her hand, leading her back into the school. Luckily he had thought to prop the door open before he had followed her to the parking lot.

Back inside and covered in blankets, Rachel reached into the basket and pulled out the small box. She opened it to see that it was full of letters with her name on them. "There is a letter there for every week that I was away from you." Rachel looked up to see Finn watching her. "I would write one every week to send to you, I just didn't have the courage to send them. Even after I got back to Lima, I would write one telling you about all the things happening in Glee Club. After a while it became like a journal entry to me. I overheard the girls talking once about how they used to write in their journal as though they were actually writing a letter to someone. So I tried it out and it worked great! You became my inspiration. Things seemed to work out better if I told them to you first. After I finished them, I would put them in this box where they would sit on my desk. Someone must have taken them off when I wasn't paying attention."

"Who knew they were there?"  
"Mainly just Blaine and Tina. But I don't want you to read all of them now. I want you to save them for later, for a time when you really need to hear my voice. It will still be a little while until I can make it to New York so take these with you. Now that Brody isn't in the picture maybe it can help you not feel so lonely."

Rachel picked up all the letters and set them in her bag. "Thank-you, Finn. I-I can't believe you would do this."

"Like I said before, you're kind of my moose, or is it muse? I get the two confused." He smiled his crooked smile at her, flashing her a wink. She wasn't sure but it felt like her heart skipped a few beats.

"Umm, well it looks like there is something else in this box." Rachel picked up the small velvet bag and gasped when she realized what it was. "Kurt must have taken these from my room since he's the only person who knew where they were." She emptied the contents of the bag on the blanket in front of them. Inside were all her reminders of her relationship with Finn. Finn reached over and picked up the small ring.

"You know, if I had just thought more about this before I gave it to you and actually listened to what you said, we wouldn't have ever been in this mess."

Rachel was still staring down at the small pile of jewelry. "Finn, don't. What's done is done. I wouldn't take any of it back. We have been through more than any normal couple. Most people would give up because it is too hard to handle, but not us."

"Because we are tethered. No matter how far away from each other we are, we can feel each other. No matter if we are apart, I can always feel you pulling on the tether."

"Tethered? Where did you get that from?"

"Sue talked about it at Jean's funeral. She said that she could always feel her sister but when she died, it was gone. I realized that day that I felt that with you and not with Quinn. I-I knew I couldn't stay with her anymore. I broke up with her that day and the next day came to find you in the auditorium but you were with Jesse. I guess I never told you about that. It was a huge part of me realizing how big of an idiot I was."

Rachel sat contemplating what Finn had just said. She had never thought of them as tethered. She knew they always had a connection but she never realized that it was so deep. "I'm so glad you finally figured it out. Now hopefully I have it figured out too and we won't have any more set backs."

Finn reached out and moved a piece of hair from her face. He let his hand linger on her face, cupping her cheek. "None at all. I love you too much to be without you any more. I can't imagine my life without you in it and I don't want to imagine the rest of it without you."

Rachel closed her eyes and leaned into his hand. She opened her eyes when she felt him shift. "There is something else in this box." He pulled out a DVD with a note telling them that they needed to use Finn's laptop to watch. Finn went to get his laptop out of his office while Rachel readjusted the blankets and pillows so that they could watch whatever it was that their friends had created for them.

Finn returned with his laptop. He placed the DVD in the drive and set it down on the stage. He moved to lie on his stomach next to where Rachel was sitting. He propped himself up with a pillow just as the video began to play.

_Finn and Rachel at their finest _flashed across the screen followed by pictures of the two of them in various places. Video clips of Rachel performing _Don't Rain, Defying Gravity, Get it Right, Jar of Hearts, My Man, Without You, So Emotional, It's All Coming Back to Me Now, _clips of Finn singing _I Gotta be Me, Jesse's Girl, Just the Way You Are, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and More than a Woman, _and some of them performing songs like _You can't always get what you want, Marry You, Don't Stop Believin', and Paradise by the Dashboard Light. _The screen went black and then began playing the opening notes of them at Nationals Junior Year. There they were singing Finn's original song that he had written shortly after he had figured out that they were tethered. The words made a bit more sense to Rachel now that she knew exactly what Finn was feeling in the moment. She watched as he threw away Nationals for her, to prove his love for her.

The next clip showed Finn coming out of the curtain at their very first Regionals singing the opening line of _Faithfully_. Finn watched as he saw the emotion and love on their faces. He remembered how right before they went out to perform he had told Rachel he loved her for the first time. He glanced up at her and saw that she was smiling as she watched. He took her hand and she looked down. Looking deep into her eyes, he sang the last phrase to her as they sang it together on the screen, "I'm still yours, Faithfully."

She smiled and reached over to touch his cheek with her free hand. He turned his face and kissed her palm. She took a deep breath, "You can kiss me if you want to."

Finn's brown eyes flickered with recognition of the phrase that started it all. He sat up, never taking his eyes from hers. "I want to," he whispered capturing her lips with his own. In that moment, they both felt themselves come alive for the first time in a long time. Rachel knew her heart would forever belong to Finn. She knew that she would wait for him as long as it took him to finally make it to New York. Finn knew that with Rachel believing in him, he could achieve anything.

_**There it is! This is the last chapter and then an epilogue. I don't know when I will get the epilogue finished because I go back to school Monday but hopefully soon! Thanks so much for reading!**_


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